Storm Debi: What to expect as UK and Ireland weather warnings issued
A "possible danger to life" warning has been issued in parts of Ireland, with Storm Debi expected to bring heavy rain and severe gale-force winds.
Warnings have also been issued for large parts of the UK, as the storm is forecast to reach northern England and parts of Wales on Monday, with the potential for 80mph gusts.
Parts of north-east Scotland likely to see heavy rain were battered by Storm Babet last month, including Brechin in Angus, where hundreds of homes had to be evacuated.
What are the warnings in Ireland?
The Irish meteorological agency has issued its highest-level wind warning for people across Ireland, with warnings there could be a danger to life from Storm Debi.
The advisory was originally issued for Offaly, Westmeath, Clare and parts of Galway and Roscommon. It has now been extended to Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Dublin, Wicklow, Kildare, Laois, Louth and Meath. The warning is valid between 2am and 5am on Monday for Clare, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, east Galway, and south Roscommon, and between 5am and 8am for the other eight affected counties.
While a yellow warning applies to every county in the country, the majority of people are also living in areas where an orange warning applies due to the risk of “severe and damaging gusts” from Sunday night. Ireland’s National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) advised schools and pre-schools in a number of counties to remain closed until 10am on Monday.
The counties affected are Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wicklow, Cavan, Monaghan, Clare, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Galway, and Roscommon. The yellow warning for the entire country comes into effect from midnight and expires at 3pm on Monday.
Which parts of the UK will be affected?
Storm Debi is forecast to sweep across Ireland before reaching northern England and parts of Wales on Monday.
An amber warning for wind is in place from 6am Monday across County Armagh and County Down as a spell of very strong winds is expected to develop across the morning.
A yellow warning for wind, the lowest level of alert, will be in place from 4am until 6pm for areas including Bangor and St Davids in Wales and Manchester, Sheffield and Liverpool in England, bringing a potential danger to life from flying debris. Aberdeenshire in Scotland will have a yellow warning for rain later in the day, from 10am until 9pm, and Northern Ireland will have a yellow warning for wind and rain from 3am to 2pm.
Jason Kelly, a Chief Meteorologist with the Met Office, said: “Storm Debi will develop quickly and bring potentially very strong and damaging winds to parts of the Republic of Ireland, which is why Met Éireann has decided to name the system. “The strongest winds are expected to affect parts of the Republic of Ireland early on Monday, possibly coinciding with the morning commute, before then affecting parts of north Wales and northern England into the afternoon.
"Whilst the very strongest winds will have eased somewhat before reaching the UK, we are still expecting some significant impacts and a wind warning has been issued. Additionally, Debi will bring a period of heavy rain to Northern Ireland for which a combined wind and rain warning has been issued.”
Storm Debi will move through into the North Sea during Monday evening. Simon Partridge, also from the Met Office, added: “For parts of north-west Wales and England, there is a possibility of 70 to 80mph winds. “It will be a wet and blustery day for all.”
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